Australia to Welcome Students With Cambridge English

CAMBRIDGE, England, May 20, 2011 - Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, has
announced that the Cambridge English Advanced exam (also known as Certificate
in Advanced English, CAE) will be recognised for Australian student visas.
The new rules give students who want to study in Australia the opportunity to
use this high quality, secure international qualification to prove that they
have the language skills they need for academic success. Previously, IELTS
was the main English language test accepted by the Department of Immigration
and Citizenship (DIAC) for Australian visa purposes.

"I am very pleased Cambridge has been chosen as one of the new English
test providers and I am confident they will provide a valuable service to
student visa applicants," Mr Bowen said.

Cambridge English Advanced is taken in 110 countries around the world and
recognised by more than 2,800 organisations - including nearly 50 Australian
universities and colleges. It is also accepted by almost all UK universities
as well as the UK's Border Agency for student visas. This means that students
with a Cambridge English Advanced qualification can now use their certificate
to study in Australia, UK and beyond. The exam is run by Cambridge ESOL, the
department of Cambridge University which also produces the IELTS tests. It
has been taken by hundreds of thousands of students since 1991.

Dr Mike Milanovic, the CEO of Cambridge ESOL, welcomed the Minister's
announcement and said the decision ensured there is greater choice in the
English language tests available for student visas:

"Cambridge English Advanced goes beyond simply providing a snapshot of
the student's knowledge of English. It gives an in-depth assessment of their
ability to communicate in an academic environment. Most students who take
Cambridge English Advanced follow a preparation course, which means that
they're really well prepared for studying in an English speaking
institution."

As well as the four skills tested by other exams - reading, writing,
speaking and listening - the exam covers knowledge of grammar and vocabulary,
increasing the reliability of results. It also includes a face-to-face
speaking test with two examiners which gives a more rigorous assessment of
the ability to use English than is possible with an online test.

Cambridge English Advanced is particularly popular with students in
Europe and Latin America. Preparing for the exam enables them to master
English to a degree that allows them to communicate confidently in the
education and professional world.

Details of the new arrangements will be published by the Australian
Government's Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) on their
website soon: www.immi.gov.au

About Cambridge ESOL

Cambridge ESOL is a not-for-profit department of the University of
Cambridge. We are a world leader in language assessment and have been
providing high-quality English language exams since 1913, backed by one of
the largest dedicated language research teams in the world. Over 3.3 million
candidates take Cambridge ESOL exams in 130 countries every year. The
organisation has a global network of 2,500 test centres in over 130 countries
and Cambridge ESOL exams are recognised and used by 12,000 organisations
globally. For further information go to www.cambridgeESOL.org

Launched in 1991, Cambridge English Advanced (known as CAE) was updated
in 1999 and 2008 to keep pace with changes in language teaching and testing.
One of its major strengths is that it is fit for academic purpose and
regarded by stakeholders as a high-quality test of English for academic and
professional purposes. This is demonstrated by the global acceptance of the
test by more than 2,800 organisations including education institutions,
governments and employers.

Cambridge English Advanced reflects a user's language proficiency in
terms of their overall communicative ability. As well as the four skills
tested by other exams - reading, writing, speaking and listening - the exam
covers knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, increasing the reliability of
results. It also includes a face-to-face speaking test with two examiners
which gives a more rigorous assessment of the ability to use English than is
possible with an online test.

A special feature of Cambridge English Advanced is that it is available
in both computer-based and paper-based formats, giving candidates more
choice.

www.CambridgeESOL.org/Advanced

For more information contact: Stuart Giblin (UK), giblin.s at CambridgeESOL.org, Chevaan Seresinhe T: +44(0)7540-354-927